The Indian automotive market is a dynamic beast, fueled by a booming middle class and a digital revolution. Influence here isn’t just about speed; it’s about trust, regional access, and specialisation. For brands working with the right digital marketing agency, leveraging the right voice is critical to cutting through the noise in one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
A successful partnership requires understanding an influencer’s audience segmentation, their authority, and their ability to generate measurable ROI, whether through mass reach or deep, niche conversion. We’ve compiled a list of 6 top automobile influencers in India, categorised not just by follower count, but by their strategic business value to your next campaign. Get ready to update your “must-partner” list!
Table of Contents:
- Faisal Khan
- Priyanka Kochhar
- Gagan Choudhary
- Mia Joseph Chirakkekaran
- MotorOctane
- Rohit Iyer
- Concluding thoughts…
Faisal Khan
Known by his online username FasBeam, Faisal Khan is a prominent Indian automobile journalist, social media influencer and entrepreneur. He is also the founder of MotorBeam, an online portal for car and bike reviews, news, and advice. He is considered the first automobile blogger in India, having started blogging in 2007.
On his popular YouTube channel “Faisal Khan” (FasBeam), he primarily shares “Point of View” (POV) vlogs, offering a raw, unscripted experience of driving various vehicles, from budget-friendly cars to supercars, luxury machines, and even military trucks. He also runs the professional review channel “MotorBeam”. He has a significant following across social media platforms, with over 3 million followers. He has received multiple awards as a top influencer in the automobile category.
Besides MotorBeam, he founded FK-R (Faisal Khan Racing), a brand for limited edition, high-quality motorcycle riding gear, and the private community FKRtribe for automobile enthusiasts.
Priyanka Kochhar
Widely known by her social media handle @BikeWithGirl (BWG), Priyanka Kochhar is an Indian prominent moto-vlogger cum influencer, professional motorcycle racer and a model. She has built a significant online presence by challenging gender stereotypes in the male-dominated world of motorcycling.
Through her popular social media channels, particularly Instagram and YouTube, she shares content on motorcycle launches, motorsports, travel stories, and lifestyle. She uses her platform to inspire and empower other women to pursue their passions, particularly in unconventional career choices.
Driven by an intense passion for motorcycles, she taught herself how to ride and became a professional on the track. She is one of Pune’s only pro-bikers in her segment and has secured podium finishes in the National Motorcycle Racing Championship. She advocates strongly for road safety, urging people to race on tracks rather than public roads.
Gagan Choudhary
Gagan Chaudhary is a prominent Indian automotive and aviation content creator, journalist, and influencer. He is recognised for providing detailed and unbiased reviews of cars and bikes, primarily in Hindi, for the Indian market.
He started his journey as an automobile writer on Yahoo Answers in 2013 and began making videos in 2016. His content gained significant traction around 2017 with the internet revolution in India, eventually leading him to pursue content creation as a full-time career. He runs a popular YouTube channel under his own name, which has over 2 million subscribers. He decided to create content in Hindi to bridge the language gap for many Indian audiences interested in understanding automobiles and technology.
Chaudhary is well-known for his honest and transparent approach to vehicle reviews, focusing on practical aspects relevant to the average Indian consumer. He covers new car launches, technical topics, and comparisons.
Mia Joseph Chirakkekaran
Better known by her social media alias “Octane Girl,” Mia Joseph Chirakkekaran is an Indian automotive influencer and content creator from Kerala. er Instagram feed and YouTube presence are filled with content featuring expensive and fast cars and motorcycles, including supercars and luxury vehicles.
Coming from a family with a strong background in motorsports (her father, Joseph C Jos, is an international rally driver), she developed a passion for cars and bikes from a young age. She is known for challenging the notion that high-performance cars are exclusively a male domain.
She gained attention after her father gifted her a Volkswagen Polo GTI on her 18th birthday. She was also one of the first women in India to take delivery of the new Volkswagen Golf GTI.
MotorOctane
MotorOctane is an Indian automotive media platform that provides in-depth research, reviews, and updates on the four-wheeler and two-wheeler industries in an easy-to-understand manner. Rachit Hirani, the Founder of MotorOctane, is the primary face and presenter for its video content.
They were one of the first automotive video platforms in India to create content primarily in Hindi (“Hinglish”), a move that contributed significantly to their rapid growth and popularity. Their content is known for being simple, straightforward, honest, and unbiased, aiming to help buyers make informed decisions.
MotorOctane is one of Asia’s largest and India’s fastest-growing automotive YouTube channels, with millions of subscribers and views.
Rohit Iyer
Known by his social media handle @carswithrohit, Rohit Iyer is an Indian automotive expert, financial strategist, and content creator who provides advice on how to smartly buy, finance, and own luxury cars in India.
Unlike traditional reviewers who focus on performance and features, Rohit Iyer primarily educates his audience on the financial aspects of car ownership, particularly in the luxury segment. He is known for sharing “hacks” and “insider tricks” related to tax benefits, car insurance, leasing versus buying, and depreciation strategies that can save buyers significant amounts of money.
Rohit Iyer is a hybrid of an automotive enthusiast and a finance expert, making him a unique voice in the Indian car media space.
Concluding thoughts…
India’s automotive digital landscape is defined by two strategic forces: Authority and Accessibility. The lesson here is clear: successful campaigns must strategically blend these two forces, using high-authority voices like Faisal Khan for brand validation and the Hindi-first, high-trust platforms like Gagan Choudhary and MotorOctane for driving measurable conversion across key regional segments. Furthermore, leveraging powerful niche voices like Priyanka Kochhar and Octane Girl adds depth and resonance through strong, modern narratives. With the right social media marketing agency, brands can identify the perfect mix of these influential personalities to maximise their campaign impact in this unique market.
Vasim Samadji is a partner at Flora Fountain, where he leads the Business and Marketing Strategy divisions. In a world where everyone is used to sugarcoating, his directness is often considered rude. But that shouldn't be a problem if you like the no-nonsense approach. Because he is a seasoned professional...